Well it's the way the system works, in the lower house there is...

Well it's the way the system works, in the lower house there is compulsory preference voting your vote has to go to someone you cannot exhaust it and remain conforming.

So unless the independent can garner a heap of primary votes, they won't get the second, third etc preferences.

Hence why so few Indies in the lower house.

Just how the majors like it.

It takes an outstanding candidate and a fair bit of horse trading for preferences to get a micro or indie over the line.